Thursday, December 2, 2010

I am so glad I made this photo of Happy in early Novemeber. She turned 14 years some time in early Spring. My husband rescued she and her sister from a bar ditch was puppies. She Blessed us with her gentle ways and loving personality. She had a beautiful spirit and was beautiful. She had a stroke on Sunday, 21 November and died the following Wednesday. We miss you.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

I have been in Georgia attending Sweet Memories 2nd Birthday Party in Carrollton. Debby Schuh was their guest designer offering 3 classes. I first met Debby at ScrapbookNSuch in Wichita Falls, TX. Her albums are gorgeous; this is the third set of classes I've attended.

What I am doing today, is going through the "left-overs," you know, the remainder of the sticker sheets; the larger and sometimes complete sheets of paper, rub-ons, ribbon and other extra embellishments. Occasionally, I use something from one of these kits, but most often, they languish in a sack, and die. We have a shelter for battered women and children and I am going to call them to see if they want these bits and pieces. These items will be better put to use by these shattered persons, than by me. In fact, I will start a box for paper that I once loved but now want the matched sheets. It is amazing the changes I have seen since starting this journey in 2003.

So, I am hoping you too, will start a box and share your extra material with a shelter in your home town. I hope it will provide therapy and give encouragement for these women and children for the new direction they are taking. I wish them well.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

My scrapbooking project for the foreseeable future is my husband's 85th Birthday album. I have been shifting through hundreds of photos and slides. Finally, after years, I am getting a handle on PhotoShop Elements, now using 8. The break through came when I took a introductory course at our local college. (I would take more but imagine they are having trouble locating a teacher.) Also, took two courses on the Internet and have a Scrapper's Guide DVD that came with the update to 8. What I finally came to realize is that learning PSE takes time, a lot of time, and effort. The program can do wonders, 8 can even move two people closer in a photo.

While learning PSE I also came to realize that not all developers are the same. Also, PSE makes it so easy to send straight from the Organizer. However, you have to choose between Kodak and Shutterfly. I chose Shutterfly but will give Kodak a look as well. I am not sure if the Shutterfly has made all the difference for now I am running the Auto Smart Fix in PSE before the final Save and sometimes custom adjusting color and contract. Anyway, do not be dissatisfied with your prints, try another local store or send them off. Shutterfly only cost $1.99 for postage. One on-line shop I checked was a flat $5.00. That may be alright when you are ordering 12X12 but certainly not for 4X6.

While on the subject, I must, again, mention that you should not be printing your own photos. The ink on the ink jet is not as achival as you need. Who wants to send all the time on a page or photo to have it fade later. I have no idea why the scrapbooking magazines have stopped writing about archival photos.

I am having LOTS of fun with this album about my husband. Several lines of Graphic45 papers fit together beautifully to give me the papers I need, mostly Gentlemen. I am having trouble cutting and putting pictures over parts of the pages for the paper is so handsome and speaks to me about my husband, his life and interest. The album is 8X8 so I am using very few embellishments, just the paper itself. Will post some of the pages when I actually finish a section. Keep finding more photos I want to add. J

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Today, in the mail, came photos I sent via the net, to be printed. These photos are all taken from slides, some going back thirty-five years. I am very pleased with the results. First, I have learned a lot more about PhotoShop Elements 8 and worked on colors and contrast in most of the shots. Secondly, and most important, I have changed developers. You can use Shutterfly from with in PSE 8 which makes developing so much easier. But best of all the developed photos are so much better than those from the developer I have been using.

A word about sending to professional developer, over printing at home. By all means, if you want your photos to last, you will send/take to professionsl developer.

I am working on an album for my husbands up and coming 85th birthday. These photos show his LOVE of all things with wheels and steering wheel. Yesterday, he traded his Liberty Jeep for 2011 Grand Cherokee Jeep. This makes number number 38. In our forty-seven plus years of marriage, we have owned thirty-eight vehicles. Depending on the tax laws, some times he drove his personal car and other years, the business owned cars that they insured. I have no idea how many vehicles he actually drove. Gotta go put the photos in the album.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

So far, the only person I am blogging to, is me. That is okay. Today's subject is weather. Can you believe this HEAT!! I am just thinking about how wonderful Winter is, wearing sweaters, and jeans. John was just regretting that the animals have to endure this heat. Of course, they suffer in the winter as well.

For the last few days, and for the next week, the temperature in North Texas will be 100 or above. If there is any outside chores to do, you do them very early or just before sun down. We passed a crew, yesterday, working on a road, and wished for an umbrella for the flag persons.

I have often lamented about air conditioning changing the way neighbors and friends visited at night on the front porch of their homes. They knew where their children were and what they were doing. They exchanged news of the neighborhood, the national government and the world. There was no twenty-four hour news on the radio. Now, I sit down to send an e-mail and catch up on the news.....all day long. I enjoy playing music over my satellite, much more soothing than news.

Better get back on weather and sign off. I love thunder and lightening, the only things that man has not been able to control, even though they have tried. I lament the loss of the front porch news system but not to the point of giving up air conditioning. Maybe, FaceBook is the answer. LOL

Sunday, August 1, 2010

I was just readying Heidi Swapp's blog. She is working on several pages using only material from a kit and no photos. I am making a mini-album for my husband, putting old photos in and getting ready to finish it off with photos made at his 85Th birthday celebration. I am using Graphic45's Gentleman's series. It is sooo pretty and speaks to my husband's life to a "T." He will be 85 years old in April 2011.

He loves cars. He is a natty dresser and loves shoes. He watches Wall Street news all day. He loves to travel. He remembers all the details about Charles Lindbergh and The Spirit of St. Louis. I have to laugh. It is very hard for me to either cut these papers or cover the paper with photos. Each paper calls up memories of our almost 50 years of marriage.

Right now, I am busy going through stacks of photos and photo books and hundreds of slides, choosing the correct one for the book. This album will be light hearted. I already have one 12x12 of childhood through HS. This one will be some snaps of some of the vehicles we have owned (37 in 48 years!) Some photos of our travels and of course, our friends. A few of the family, but they are covered in our Family Album. NO, this is for John.

I am using PSE8. Having fun using some of the techniques I have learned.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Change in Attitude. Over the years I "put up" certain sentimental items. Other items, I failed to take to Goodwill or Salvation Army. That all changed when we were preparing to move. I found a set of drinking glasses that our two oldest sons had given us on our First Wedding Anniversary. The set is 47 years old. Today, they are in our cupboard, being used. Everyday, I think wonderful thoughts of the two young boys that selected them. Maybe it was good that I had them put up so long. But, today, I am using the good china more, drinking wine out of the beautiful set of crystal that John brought back from Europe and enjoying them all. I am not sure I can change anyone's mind about using the good stuff from day one. Just thought I'd share my experiences. Happy Day!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Recently I bought a Creative Imaginations, "Narratives by Karen Russell" embellishment epogy set. It doesn't have a date but must be one of the last things she designed for them. I think she is only teaching her photographers class now from home. I miss her enthusiastic way of teaching and her wonderful designs and projects. Wish she would need a "TEXAS fix" and come our way. We miss you Karen. Your Texas friend and friend.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

I do not believe anyone will follow my blog. But it is fun to present my views and opinions, even if no one reads them. I have several very talented and interesting scrapbookers that I follow. A blog is fun....I shall have fun. 19 May "10

Vintage is the new scrapbooking rage. Tim Holtz defines Vintage as something that provokes memories. I have, perhaps, hundreds of Vintage photos to scrap. But, mostly, it is the stories that John and I remember that need permanetly recorded. The vintage papers and accompliments are coming at the right time for me. Not time to blog, I must get back to my studio and scrap. Loving it.

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About Me

In 2009 I turned 70. I have so much to do, some times I feel like I am spinning my wheels and not going anywhere. There is so much I want to learn: PS Elements, to correct and enhance photos and to scrap digitally. Then, there are all those hundreds of photos I want to scrap. Faster, faster, faster.